For months, NBA fans have been wondering why Commissioner Adam Silver didn't step in to stop what is one of the most nonsensical trades in league history. Of course, everyone remembers where they were when they heard that the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for a relatively small haul.
The move made little sense for the Mavericks. It also seemed almost too easy for the Lakers to get generational talent without having to give up nearly as much as they otherwise would have.
That led to too intense calls from NBA fans for Silver to veto the deal in the same way that former commissioner David Stern did when the Lakers tried to acquire Chris Paul in his prime. Despite those calls, Silver has largely remained silent about the trade. It not only went through, but the Lakers now find themselves as the legit contenders ahead of the playoffs.
Adam Silver finally weighs in on why he didn't veto the Luka Dončić Lakers trade.
Appearing on the Pat McAfee show, Silver was asked to explain why he didn't block the deal. He explained that he wasn't able to veto the trade because it's not in his power to do so.
"I understand why Dallas Mavericks fans are so upset and I personally am a fan of Luka Doncic..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 17, 2025
I want him to be great and I want the Dallas Mavericks to be great..
There's been so much interest in this trade and let's see how this turns out" ~ Adam Silver #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/J3XUkQqeIQ
That admission certainly comes as a surprise to NBA fans after his predecessor did exactly that years ago. That claim is sure to anger Mavericks fans, who are still reeling from their team having traded a generational player.
While Silver wasn't within his power to block the trade, perhaps there should be a role put in place for him to do so in the future. Having a clause in the collective bargaining agreement that would allow the commissioner to block a trade involving an All-NBA player if it doesn't benefit both teams could be something that the NBA could eventually adopt.
After all, other teams are surely unhappy that the Lakers were again gifted a superstar. Back in 2009, the Lakers were able to acquire Pau Gasol for pennies on the dollar, and he helped them make the NBA Finals three straight years and win back-to-back championships. That move was widely criticized then, and so has the Doncic deal.
Even so, the trade is done, and the Lakers are much better for it, while the Mavericks will likely regret it for years to come. At least, we now know that Silver was powerless to block the trade, even though many fans wish that he did.